MBSS Site Summary for: PATL-504-X-2011

Site Photos

Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-504-X-2011-1 (Opens in a new window) Field photo showing stream conditions at site PATL-504-X-2011-2 (Opens in a new window)

Located on PATAPSCO RIVER in the Patapsco River L N Br watershed, 8-digit code: 02130906.
This stream was visited in the spring on 3/29/2011 and again in the summer on 7/11/2011.

Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) Results:

An Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI) is a scientific tool used to identify and classify stream health. An IBI associates anthropogenic influences on a stream or with biological condition in the stream, and is formulated using data developed from biosurveys.
Details on the development and application of MBSS IBIs are in this document.
Fish IBI Good - 4.0 / 5.0
Benthic IBI Poor - 2.3 / 5.0

Land Use

Land use can provide important information for determining stream health.
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Catchment area 191,256 acres Cows standing in a stream at a site with high agricultural land use. Cows survey the sampling procedure at this extreme example of a highly agriculturalized site.
Urban Land Use 8 %
Agricultural Land Use 58.8 %
Forested Land Use 30.8 %


Stream showing woody debris, logs, and rocky substrate.
An example of woody debris in a stream.

Physical Stream Habitat
Instream Habitat 16/20 (Optimal)
Epifaunal Substrate 17/20 (Optimal)
Velocity/Depth Diversity 16/20 (Optimal)
Pool Quality
Pool Extent = 75 meters 		12/20 (Suboptimal)
Riffle Quality
Riffle Extent = 34 meters 		17/20 (Optimal)
Shading 50 %
Embeddedness 15 %
Several measures of instream habitat were considered 'Optimal' at this location.


Stream Water Quality:
pH (lab) 7.76
Alkalinity
(acid neutralizing capacity) 		843.1 µeq/L
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 1.4273 mg/L

Biological Stream Condition:

Surveys of the organisms living within a stream can give indications of stream health. Species richness, or the number of different species present, as well as indicator species (species whose presence, absence or abundance can serve as a measure of environmental conditions) are informative for stream health. 		Close-up of a mayfly indicator species.

Fish Survey Results:
The following 22 fish species were collected.
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Common name Count
Bluntnose Minnow 128
White Sucker 97
American Eel 78
Redbreast Sunfish 77
Spotfin Shiner 61
Northern Hogsucker 45
Swallowtail Shiner 44
Tessellated Darter 31
Cutlip Minnow 30
Satinfin Shiner 15
Smallmouth Bass 13
River Chub 12
Rosyface Shiner 11
Margined Madtom 10
Common Shiner 9
Rock Bass 9
Creek Chub 7
Yellow Bullhead 6
Blue Ridge Sculpin 3
Central Stoneroller 3
Green Sunfish 3
Blacknose Dace 1
Biologists sampling fish communities.
Electrofishing to sample fish communities.

Amphibians and Reptiles:
American Bullfrog

Crayfish:
Orconectes virilis

Exotic Plants:
Daylily
Garlic Mustard
Japanese Barberry
Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Stiltgrass
Mile-A-Minute
Multiflora Rose
Oriental Bittersweet
Wineberry
 

Benthic Macroinvertebrates:
Sensitive taxa: Green, Tolerant: Red, Intermediate: Gold.
Genus/Family Common Name Count
Orthocladius Non-Biting Midges 41
Gammarus Amphipod 13
Maccaffertium March Brown And Cahill Mayfly 11
Orthocladiinae Midge 8
Clinocera Aquatic Dance Fly 7
Stenelmis Beetle 6
Hydrobaenus Midge 5
Cricotopus Non-Biting Midges 5
Cheumatopsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 3
Hydropsyche Net-Spinning Caddisfly 2
Thienemanniella Non-Biting Midges 2
Diamesa Bloodworm 2
Chimarra Fingernet Caddisfly 2
Prosimulium Black Fly 2
Simulium Black Fly 1
Leptoxis Freshwater Snail 1
Dubiraphia Riffle Beetle 1
Optioservus Riffle Beetle 1
Oulimnius Riffle Beetle 1
Sympotthastia Non-Biting Midges 1
Kick net sampling for macroinvertebrates.
Sampling with a kick net.

Information disclaimer: The information and data on this page is for guidance and general planning purposes only. It should not be used to make decisions on specific matters.